Overview
This is a three-round single day tournament that encourages fun and camaraderie. It plays with a version of modified maelstrom (described below). It is, however, an ITC event and will award ITC standing points, and other than the mission style uses all the applicable ITC rules and FAQ.

This tournament takes “beer and pretzels” seriously – it is a potluck. Every player is required to bring food to share with the group. This is a requirement, just like buying a ticket. No food, no play. Guardian Games has been nice enough to let us continue the potluck tradition, but food only, no drink. All drinks (including alcohol) must be purchased from the store.  Because alcohol is available, this event is limited to players 21+ only. With 30+ players, each bringing 30+ food dishes, we should have quite the feast.

Army Composition
Per ITC Rules. Currently, that would mean 1850 pts, all current books and legal armies allowed. Max of 3 detachments. Forge world is allowed. Modified ranged D as per ITC rules.

Scenarios and Rules
Deck Building
Each player must bring a deck of 28 tactical objective cards. Since the basic deck contains 36 cards, this will mean players will customize the deck they bring. Decks must be built from the same source, ie you can use the main deck, or a race specific deck, but you cannot mix or combine.

Card Draw
When you draw a card, if it is impossible to achieve because of your opponent’s army, you may immediately discard it and draw another. (This does not apply if it is impossible to achieve because of your own army choices. You had the chance to fix that in customizing your deck.)

Cards that award d3 victory points award 2. If a card were to award more than 4+ points, it awards 3.

Maelstrom Victory Points
This tournament uses a modified version of Maelstrom that has worked well for us in the past. It helps to think of it like a tennis match, ie. game-set-match.

You score tactical objective points as normal, ie at the end of each player turn. At the end of each GAME TURN you total who got the most tactical objective points for that turn. You only count points achieved that game turn, you do not carry over from previous game turns. (So unlike typical Maelstrom games, you don’t keep a running tally for the entire game). Whoever achieved the most tactical objective points won that turn. A win gets 2 set points. A tie gets each player 1 set point.

EXAMPLE: Susan achieves all three of her Maelstrom cards in turn 1, yielding her 3 Maelstrom points. Bob achieves only one his cards, but it’s a card that awards d3 maelstrom points. The tournament rules say d3 cards award a flat 2. So Susan wins GAME TURN 1, and is credited with 2 set points for her win.

The first player to accumulate 7 set points wins the match. The game ends at the conclusion of either the turn where a player reaches 7 set points, or the end of turn 6, whichever comes first. If, at the end of turn six neither player has accumulated 7 set points (because they tied all six turns), or they both reach 7 points at the conclusion of turn 6, then both players are credited with a tie for the match.

Winning the match is worth 6 battle points. A tie on the match is 3 battle points. In addition, you get one battle point for each of the four secondary objectives in the match. For a maximum possible 10 battle points each round.

Round Length
Each round is 2.5 hours. Players are encouraged to keep an eye on the clock and try to complete their turns quickly. If time is called at the 2.5-hour mark, and the players have not completed the game, it will be up to the sole discretion of the judge to either call the game for one person or the other, or to declare no winner. This ruling will may be arbitrary and subjective, and is not appealable. Players who do not want their games determined by arbitrary ruling should play quickly and efficiently.

Order of Round Events

Step 1. Adjust and define terrain with your opponent.

Step 2. Roll for Psychic Powers/Gifts/etc.

Step 3. Roll for deployment zones. 

Step 4. Place Objectives using normal

Step 5. Roll for Warlord trait per usual in the BRB Pg. 124. Do not use the Tactical Traits table. If your opponent has a LoW and you do not, you can roll on the Escalation Warlord table (pg.34 of the Escalation Supplement).

Step 6. Roll for Night Fighting.

Step 7. Roll for first turn. The player that wins the roll can choose to go first or second. The player going first then deploys first and goes first unless the other player seizes the initiative.

ROUND ONE
Maelstrom Mission: Cleanse and Control
Dawn of War Deployment
Roll for Night Fighting
Mysterious objectives ARE USED

Secondary Objectives:

Slay the Warlord

Linebreaker

First Blood

Big Game Hunter

ROUND TWO
Maelstrom Mission: Cleanse and Control
Hammer and Anvil Deployment
Roll for Night Fighting
Mysterious objectives ARE USED
Secondary Objectives:

Ground Control

King of the Hill

Linebreaker

Slay the Warlord

First Blood

ROUND THREE
Maelstrom Mission: Cleanse and Control
Vanguard Deployment
Roll for Night Fighting
Mysterious objectives ARE USED
Secondary Objectives:

First Strike

Table Quarters

Slay the Warlord

Linebreaker

The ITC/BAO/LVO Rules FAQ will be in use.

Painting
3 color minimum and basing required. (In the case of a tie, the tournament winner will be calculated based on battle points, in conjunction with subjective judge's evaluation of painting and sportsmanship.)

Sportsmanship
This is a fun, simple, no-stress event designed around Maelstrom missions. It’s also a potluck, where we roll dice, eat good food, and have a beer (Guardian Games serves beer). The goal is to have fun, and to give fun games to an opponent. All players will be expected to conduct themselves in a sportsman-like manner.

Cost
The cost to play in this tournament will be $25.00.  All proceeds go towards prize support.